Water-closet seat.



W. C. REES.

WATER CLOSET SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1915.

1,165,123. I Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- H Ira/ 713507:

W. C. REES.

WATER CLOSET SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1915.

1,165, 123. Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

jvveifior:

UTE STATES ATE WARREN o. REES, 0F soMEEvILLE, avrassaoiwsnrrs, AssIeuoE '10 .ASEPTIG SERVICE COMPANY, 0E BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

WATER-CLOSET SEAT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN C. REES, a citizen of. the United States, and resident of Somerville, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Closet Seats, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to seats for toilets and has for its object generally to provide a seat which can be kept clean and sanitary conveniently and with ease. In further stating this object, it may be observed that it is a commonpractice to place a. covering of paper, or other material, upon seats of this sort, particularly those provided for public use, and that my purpose is to enable such sheets to be disposedv of automatically after each use of the toilet and in a neat way.

Another object is to enable the seat to drain directly into the toilet bowl. To that end I arrange the seat and provide means for so operating the same that when not in usethe seat is raised and withdrawn from the toilet bowl and held in such a way that the seating surface thereof is turned toward the bowl instead of away therefrom, whereby any covering of paper, etc., or anything else which may have been placed on the seat may be discharged automatically into the bowl. 7

There are a number of constructions in which my invention may be embodied, and of such I have illustrated two in the accompanying drawings. In one of such illustrated forms the seat is composed oftwo members arran ed adjacent to opposite sides of the toilet bowl, each constituting half of the entire seat, and in the other the entire seat is made as a unit located at the back of the toilet when notin use.

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of the'toilet having the two-partseat embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a front to rear section of the casing, which contains the operating mechanism for one of the parts of the seat, showing the adjacent seat in elevation. Fig. 3 is a cross section ofsuch casing at the front endthereof, showingthe seat in'end elevation in thelowered position ready for use. Fig.

4 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention to a seatmade and operated asa single unit. Fig. '5 is a side ele- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 19, 1915.

I Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Serial No. 35,158. I

the rim of the bowl and out of the way. As I both seat members are alike and the means for operating them are identical, I will de scribe only one, applying reference-characters used in such description to correspond ing parts of the other. The seat member is supported adj acent to one edge or limit. which is the inner edge when in position for use and the lower edge when withdrawn, by pins or studs 12-at its front and rear ends, which are contained in slots 13 in plates 14', 14, between which this part ofthe seat member is contained. These plates, or arms, as they may also be called, are pivoted on pivot pins 15 between lugs 16 on the top of the casing 17 at one side-of the bowl. The two casingsare supported in part by posts 18 and are rigidly connected by cross bars 19 and'20, the latter having a web adapted to rest on the'rear part of the toilet bowl and the post being adapted to rest on the floor. These parts are thus united in a rigid frame work andhave a three point support, and being thereby independent of inequalities and variations in different installations. The

front cross bar 19 is close to the bowl and nearly in the same vertical plane with the forward end of the seat, and therefore does not interfere with the use of the toilet. The inner or swinging ends of the plates 14 are contained in slots in upstanding posts 21015 or socket in the post. The outer edge of the x seat member is supported by endwjse :movable rods 26 which pass from the interior of the casing through the top thereof and are engaged with pins 27 carried by brackets 28 hired to the seat near its outer edge. The

" Each rod is connected by thepivot'30 with a "as the treadle is depressed. The seat has.

V tions ofthe seat being held depressed by the lever 31 pivoted at 32 within the casing near the opposite end thereof from its connection with the rod. The two levers 31 cross and are engaged at their intersecting point by a pin 33 to which there is also connected a link 34, the latter passing through the bottom of the casing and being pivoted at 35 to a treadle' lever 36. This treadle lever passes across the front of the toilet below theseat and its ends are bent back under the two casings'and pivoted in brackets 37 depending from the rear parts of these casings. The one treadle is thus a part of two levers. Said pin 33 is fixed in one of the levers 31 and slides in a slot 38 in the other, which is provided to allowfor the varyingangularity of the levers. On each of the rods 26 is a spring latch 39 adapted to engage under the end of a rigid projecting abutmentfiO on the inner wall of the casing, this latch being provided to hold the seat in the horizontal position against thepressur'e of the spring 41 ,which is connected with the pin 35 and with a stud 42 inside the casing, and constantlyeXerts force tending to raise thetreadle, the link-34,

levers 31, and the'seat. Springi lt) is convenientlvmade of a single piece of' spring sheet metal and is provided with a pro ect ing' lug 13 at one side. The'plate or arml has, a finger 44, which projects through the adjacent wall of the casing and. extends to thelug 43; When the arm is in the position shown in Fig. 3, said finger 4s does not inter-j fere with the latcl 1,but leaves the latch ongaged with the abutment 40. The position illustrated in this figure isthat taken as soon then been brought intoapproximately horizontal position, the studs 12'traveling along the slots 13 in the arms 14:, and the'outer porlatches 39.- The arms 14 are held up by the springs 24. If now aweight is placed on the:

seat, such as is" applied when a person sits i on it, the inner part of the seat is depressed,

lowering thearms Hand pushing the fingers 14 outwardly, that is, to the-right with respect to Fig. 3.7" It should beobserved that these fingers are'below'the pivots 15 so that depression 'of the arms moves the fingers horizontally. In such movement the finger engages the lug 13 of the latch39,. disengaging said latchfrom the abutment 10 and leaving the rod 216 free to rise, The lost motion between the rod and the seat, permitted by the slot 29, allows the rod to be raised by spring 41 far enough'to lift the latch clear of the abutment 40,wl1ereupon only the weight of the occupant retains the seat in the horizontal position. Now as soon as this hopper; I prefer to extend the brackets 28 far enough to bear on the top of the casing 17 when the seat is-lowerech-or toprovidean equivalent device for the same purpose, this purpose being to-prevent depression of the outer part of the seat under the weight of the occupant far enough to take up the lost motion of the rod 26. It is apparent that if the outer part of the seat were permitted to descend far enoughto take up this lost motion, the rod would not be raised when'the latch '39 is. disengaged,and the seat might not be released when the weight is removed by withdrawn from thehposition over the from The provision of a support for the outer limit of the seat, either by the bracket 7 toilet, the seat having studs 48 occupying.

such guide slots or guideways. The arms 16 are supported by posts49 and 50, being piv I oted to the forward post l9 by. a pivot pin 51'and connected to the; rear post by a pin 52 which passes through a slot 53 in the arm. V curved about the plvot 51 as a center. The

'treadle 5% is a bar passing across the front of the toilet having its ends bent to'the' rear and pivotedat 55 to the front post's 49,'the

lever 58, which is pivoted 'to' the post 50, by apin 59. The second arm of this lever is V connected-by'a link 60 with the seat adjacent to the rear end thereof, the connection being rear ends of the lever arms formedlon such bar carrying studs 56 which occupy and slide 1n lots or guideways- 57 in a three armed essentially the same as that between'the rod 26 and the seat shown in Fig. 3, that is having provisions for" lost'inotion permitting a limited upward movement of the link '60 when the latch is released and the seat remainsin the horizontal position. The latch isshown at39lfan'd isessentially the same as the latch 39, being secured atoneend to the link -60and having aglug 131 at oneside.

The latch co'riperates with an abutment 61 which is formed onone end of'a bar 62 sei cured to the posts49 andi50,;such end terminating in the path ofthe latch, and being passing the same. The arm L6 has a finger 63 projecting adjacent to the positionpccupied by the lug- 131 when the latch is engaged with the abutment as described. This finger and the lug 431 are relatively so shaped and arranged that the finger, when depressed, exerts a wedging action thereon, disengaging the latch from the abutment. A spring 64 is. connected to the arm 65 of thethree armed lever 58-and also to an arm 66 fixed to and projecting from the arm 46. The spring is under such tension that it exerts .a pull between the arms 65 and 66, tending to raisethe link 60, raise the treadle 1, and raise the rear end of arm 46, that is, its function is to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, and to return the parts to such position from any other position. It will be understood that when the treadle is pressed upon the pin 56 is raised and the lever 58 is oscillated, pulling down upon the link 60, and bringing. the seat into the position for use, the studs 48 then sliding along the guideways until the forward end of the seat is approximately flush with the forward ends of the arms 46. When this position has been reached the latch 391 has passed beyond and becomes interlocked with the abutment 61, and a pin or equivalent projection 67 on the rear part of the seat unlocked will rise and withdraw as soon as the weightof theoccupant is removed therefrom.

It will be appreciated thatin eachform of the invention the surface of the seat which is uppermost when in position for use is turned toward the toilet bowl when withdrawn, or in other words, is exposed toward the bowl. Thusany sheets ofpaper which may have been placed on the seat as-a sanitary covering are caused to slip off auto- .matically in the, bowl and are disposed of without effort or care on the part of the user, and also ina manner which causes them to be finallv disposed of and not fall upon the floor and cause an obnoxious litter.

Comparing the two illustrated embodiments of the invention it is apparent that they are alike in all essentials. In each the outer limitof the seat is raised and. lowered in operation, while. the inner limit thereof is at the same time correspondingly withdrawn and advanced. In this use of the terms inner and outer, I define as the outer limit of each form of the seat, that edge or end thereof which is more remote from the toilet bowl when withdrawn, the inner limit or end being, of course, the opposite edge or end of the seat. It is of course understood that I do not limit the invention to the exact arrangement of parts and operating mechanism here shown, nor do I limit the location of the seat or seat members to any particular side of the toilet bowl nor the directions of movement thereof to any specific directions. The important thing is that when withdrawn the. supporting surface or operative surface of the seat is the one which is turned toward the bowl, so thatanything which may have been placed upon it may be discharged by gravity into the bowl.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a toilet bowl of a seat adapted to be place-d over and withdrawn from said bowl, and means for causing said seat when withdrawn to expose the seating surface thereof toward-the bowl and at an inclination thereto.

2. A water closet seat, means for operating said seat to raise and lower the same, and means for so guiding the seat as to cause its 1 surface which is uppermost when the seat is lowered to be turned toward the closet when the seat is raised. The combination with a toilet, of a seat, means for supporting the inner portion of saidseat in a manner causing it to slide back and forth in a definite path, and means for raising and lowering the outer portion of said seat, whereby the seat when raised and withdrawn is caused to expose the operative surface thereof.

at. A rigid seat for water closets adapted to be advanced into operative position and withdrawn into inoperative position, and means for guiding the opposite limits of said seat in respectively different directions, whereby in being thus withdrawn the seating surface of the seat is exposed.

A seat for water closets adapted to be advanced into operative position and with drawn into inoperative position, and means for guiding the inner portion of said seat in a backward and forward direction and the,

outer portion thereof upwardly and down- 7. The combination ofa seat, means for raising and lowering the outer limit of such 7 seat, means'for constraining the inner limit of the seat to travel back and forth when the outer limit is thus raised and lowered, a latch for holding the raising and lowering means in itstdepre'ssed position, ineans'opeb able when a weight is placed on the seat for disengaging said latch, and a constantly act- 7 ing means tending to raise the seat.

'8. In combinatlon with a seat," upwardly and downwardly reciprocating means connected with the outer portion of said seat for raising andlowermg the same, a yieldable support for another portion of the seat, a

latch connected with said means operative to lock the same in its depressed position, and

means whereby said support is caused to dis-- arm is moved by a weight placed upon the.

seat. v

10. The combination of a seat, a'pivoted arm having a substantially horizontal guideway with which one portion of said seat is slidingly engaged,-a spring tending to' raise said arm, means for raising and lowerlng another part'of said seat, a latch adapted to holdsaid raising andlowering means in the lowered position, and a finger projecting from said arm insuch relation to the latch as to disengage-the same when said arm is moved by a'weight placed upon therseat, said raising and lowering means having a lost motion 'connection with the seatand being under a resilient pressure tendingto raise it, whereby itis automatically removed'from locking-position upon disengagement of said latch.

'11. The combinationwith a toilet bowl of v a rigid frame having a three point support, two of such polnts being on the floor at opposite sides of the bowl and the third being on the bowl itself, and a seat sup ported on said frameina manner permit- 7 ting projection of the seat over the bowl and retraction. I r

12. The combination with. a toilet bowl of a rigid frame structure arranged with parts at opposite'sides of the bowl and a connecting portion crossing'a part ofthe bowl, seat members mounted upon the frame structure at opposite sides of the median plane of the bowl, and supporting elements as? sociated with said frame structure arranged" *13. The combinationwith a toilet bowl of a frame structure: comprising portions located at respectivelyopposite sides ofthe bowl and a connectingmember extending from one of said portions to the other across a part of the bowl, a supporting element connected to said connecting member and bearing on the bowl, a supporting element connected wlth each of the aforesald portions of the frame structure and arranged to 7 rest on the floor, and a seat member mounted upon each of said portions.

14. The combination with a toilet bowl oftwo casings and connecting bars rigidly secured to said casings and forming therewith a rigid frame structure, a seat member pivoted on each of saidjcasings, the casings being spaced apart to: occupy positions at opposite sides of the bowl and to hold said seat members at opposite sides of the middle part of the bowl, andoneof said connecting bars crossing the rear'part of the bowl and having a supporting element resting thereon, and pOsts connected to the casings adapted to bear'on the floor at each side of-the toilet. p 15,The combination with a toilet 'of' a' frame including a bar crossing the rear part of the toilet and having a support, thereon and posts at each side of the for-1 ward part of thetoilet adapted to rest on the floor, guiding means carried said frame at opposite sides of theftoilet, seat members slidingly engaged at their inner portions with said'guiding means and mechanism for raising and lowering the outer portions of said seat members. V

1 6. 'In'combination with afwater closet, a seat, means connected with the outer limit of said seat and operable to raise and lower the same, a substantially horizontal guide for the inner limit of the seat, said guide J being movable against yielding resistance under a weight placedon the seat, a d1s placeable latch for holding the raising and lowering means" in lowered position, and means operable by depresslon of said gu de for disabling said latch;

17 In combination with a water closet,

seatadapted to be placed thereover, a substantially vertical rod connected to the outer portion of said seat with provision for lost motion vertically, "sald 'ro'd be ng movable up and down, aspring acting on said rod 1 with tendency to raise the same, a treadle connected with the rod and operable to depress the same'against the pressure of said spring, a substantially horizontal guide with which the inner portion of the seat is enpressed position, and means for disengag- 10 gaged and by which said portion is coning the latch construct ed and arranged to strained to move back and forth when the be operated by the said guide when movedouter part of the seat is raised and lowered, by a weight, the lost motion between the rod said guide being movable downwardly and seat enabling said latch to be raised against resilient resistance under pressure of clear of the abutment. 15 an impOsed weight, a spring latch carried by In testimony whereof I have aflixed my said rod, an abutment arranged to be ensignature.

gaged by the latch when the rod is in the dev WARREN C. REES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

